10 August, 2006

UK Terror threat foiled

A several month long investigation by the security forces and the police seems to have culminated about 50 minutes ago with the arrest of 20 individuals (12 of which were *reportedly* extremely close to completing their plan) equipped with liquid explosive devices (TATP?) designed to be packed into hand luggage on flights between the UK and the US...the UK terror level is now up to the highest level (CRITICAL) level (News summary here)...so it appears that UK airport systems had an exploitable flaw...

All hand luggage on flights leaving the UK is for the time being banned...

Passengers at Heathrow are facing massive delays, and are being given very little news or advice, apart from to re-pack everything into main luggage...

Update - 21 now held, US Counterterrorism officer said they were "not confident" everyone involved in the plot has been taken into custody and uses the words "Liquid Chemical" devices, USA moves to highest terror threat alert level, all flights to Heathrow not already in the air suspended until further notice...oh and the PM is on holiday in the Carribean...